Dentil moulding falls from Supreme Court building; tourists threaten lawsuit

Cylinder · 28th November 2005, 07:53 AM

OK - I made the last part up. Here's the CNN story

Quote:

A basketball-sized piece of marble moulding fell from the facade over the entrance to the Supreme Court, landing on the steps near visitors waiting to enter the building.

No one was injured when the stone fell.

The marble was part of the dentil moulding that serves as a frame for the frieze of statues atop the court's main entrance.

Ed · 28th November 2005, 07:57 AM

Hmmmmmmm.....

Anyone want to conjure up some Pat Robertson quotes?

zenith-nadir · 28th November 2005, 08:19 AM

In the early 90s I had an old roomate who was the operations manager of a shopping mall. Often he would come home and have us on the floor in stitches as he retold that days alleged Rube Goldberg-esc injury by "litigious visitors" to the mall.

I remember one particular case because he had to go to court where in most instances the claim was dismissed outright or dropped. A woman claimed the mall's window displays were..and I quote.. "so striking that they startled her and in the course of being startled she suffered injuries to her back"...unquote. At that time in California to prove soft-tissue injury legally all one had to do was get a doctor's signature. I bet her doctor and lawyer were related..

So I think there is legal precedence somewhere deep in California law whereby visitors waiting to enter the Supreme Court might have a very sore back.

CFLarsen · 28th November 2005, 08:44 AM

It's the End of Times as we know it. Armageddon.

Manny · 28th November 2005, 09:07 AM

Justice Stevens dissented, opining that a properly forumulated federal regulation was sufficient to overcome the presumption of gravity.

bruto · 28th November 2005, 07:52 PM

I'm immediately put in mind of the old Beyond the Fringe skit called "Sitting on the Bench."

"and another thing, you're not troubled by falling coal. There's a distinct absence of falling coal. You get judges remarkin on it, things like 'Hello, not much coal falling in here today,' ....."

Brown · 30th November 2005, 10:08 AM

A few years ago, the state capitol building in Des Moines, Iowa, installed metal-roofed structures near entrances to the capitol. The reason: there was a risk that pieces of the capitol would break off and fall on someone. So many pieces had fallen off that the state was on notice of the hazard, and the state had to do something to prevent potential injury to visitors.

When I last checked (about five years ago), much of the old stone sculptures and facing had been replaced, but the metal-roofed structures are still there.

28th November 2005, 07:53 AM	#1
Cylinder Illuminator Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Arkansas Posts: 3,874	Dentil moulding falls from Supreme Court building; tourists threaten lawsuit OK - I made the last part up. Here's the CNN story Quote: A basketball-sized piece of marble moulding fell from the facade over the entrance to the Supreme Court, landing on the steps near visitors waiting to enter the building. No one was injured when the stone fell. The marble was part of the dentil moulding that serves as a frame for the frieze of statues atop the court's main entrance.
	Last edited by Cylinder; 28th November 2005 at 07:57 AM.

28th November 2005, 07:57 AM	#2
Ed god Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 8,691	Hmmmmmmm..... Anyone want to conjure up some Pat Robertson quotes?
Ed god Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 8,691	__________________ "The history of science is the record of dead religions" Phrases And Philosophies For The Use Of The Young Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) Our Guarentee: One obscure (or not) Python reference per day.

28th November 2005, 08:19 AM	#3
zenith-nadir Illuminator Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 4,500	In the early 90s I had an old roomate who was the operations manager of a shopping mall. Often he would come home and have us on the floor in stitches as he retold that days alleged Rube Goldberg-esc injury by "litigious visitors" to the mall. I remember one particular case because he had to go to court where in most instances the claim was dismissed outright or dropped. A woman claimed the mall's window displays were..and I quote.. "so striking that they startled her and in the course of being startled she suffered injuries to her back"...unquote. At that time in California to prove soft-tissue injury legally all one had to do was get a doctor's signature. I bet her doctor and lawyer were related.. So I think there is legal precedence somewhere deep in California law whereby visitors waiting to enter the Supreme Court might have a very sore back.
	__________________ The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled. -- Plutarch

28th November 2005, 08:44 AM	#4
CFLarsen Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 42,804	It's the End of Times as we know it. Armageddon.
	__________________ SkepticReport.com

28th November 2005, 09:07 AM	#5
Manny Illuminator Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 3,295	Justice Stevens dissented, opining that a properly forumulated federal regulation was sufficient to overcome the presumption of gravity.
Manny Illuminator Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 3,295

28th November 2005, 07:52 PM	#6
bruto Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: way way north of Diddy Wah Diddy Posts: 11,191	I'm immediately put in mind of the old Beyond the Fringe skit called "Sitting on the Bench." "and another thing, you're not troubled by falling coal. There's a distinct absence of falling coal. You get judges remarkin on it, things like 'Hello, not much coal falling in here today,' ....."
	__________________ "Sir, I have found you an argument; but I am not obliged to find you an understanding.(Samuel Johnson) The gods are less for their love of praise....(Wendell Berry)

30th November 2005, 10:08 AM	#7
Brown Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Twin Cities, Canada Posts: 12,184	A few years ago, the state capitol building in Des Moines, Iowa, installed metal-roofed structures near entrances to the capitol. The reason: there was a risk that pieces of the capitol would break off and fall on someone. So many pieces had fallen off that the state was on notice of the hazard, and the state had to do something to prevent potential injury to visitors. When I last checked (about five years ago), much of the old stone sculptures and facing had been replaced, but the metal-roofed structures are still there.